


Neighbor of China

by SonnyGoten



Series: A Chinese History [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Ancient China, BAMF China (Hetalia), China, China (Hetalia) is not a Damsel in Distress, Cold War, Communism, Communist China, Cute Ending, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers (sort of), Historical Hetalia, Historical References, Imperialism, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mongol Empire, OBOR - One Belt One Road Initiative, One Shot, Ping-Pong, Rochu, Russian Empire, Soviet Union, Sunflowers, Treaty of Nerchinsk 1689, Unequal Treaties, sino-soviet split
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 08:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonnyGoten/pseuds/SonnyGoten
Summary: This story chronicles the historical relationship between Russia and China from the moment they met during their time under the rule of the Mongol Empire up until present day politics.OR:How China accidentally makes Russia fall in love with him and inadvertently fulfills Russia's dream to 'make everyone one with Russia'.





	Neighbor of China

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains quite a few historical references. Many of them are marked by a date, but not all. The black or white cat catching mice quote was a comment first made by Deng Xiaoping. The not-your-colony comments from China refer to Mao's view that the USSR carried out a policy of 'great power chauvinism' towards China. Playing ping-pong refers to ping-pong diplomacy. If you are curious about other historical references, you can ask in a review, but I'm no expert on this stuff and most of it can be found on Wikipedia.
> 
> Also, if you are extremely squeamish/touchy about politics, you might want to skip this story as well, because some references will be made to them (kind of unavoidable when you add historical references of these two countries into the mix).
> 
> Due to the scope and complicated nature of Chinese-Russian relations, I cannot do them any true justice, so my apologies in advance!

Somewhere during the 1200s, China remembered living with a small sweet child under the reign on Genghis Khan. That child later on grew up and as happens with growing children, they become unruly. A few scuffles happened in the north, but China and its young northern neighbor quickly came to a peaceful agreement with the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689, which was later reaffirmed in the Treaty of Kyakhta in 1727.

But what China had not counted on was that this young neighbor would later on grow up to become a menacing bully! What the heck had happened to the sweet boy of the 1200s??

He had now become the Russian Empire. Or as China called him: the bully of the north. Russia forced China to sign the Treaty of Aigun in 1858, and, working together with other bullies such as France and England, he also forced China to cede parts of Outer Manchuria in the Convention of Beijing.

China would remember this.

***

When Russia first met China, he thought an angel had descended from Heaven. Long, lustrous black hair. Porcelain white skin. Robes of silk.

In his young life, Russia had only met cruelty, but would this time be any different?

Slowly, he inched closer to the angel to get a better look at him.

He was noticed soon enough. “Little boy… are you also a prisoner of war, aru?” the angel asked him with curiosity.

That’s when Russia realized that this was no angel. This person was like him: a nation-tan.

Russia nodded mutely in response to the question.

“What’s your name, little boy?”

“… Russia.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Russia. My name is China.” The nation-tan in front of him smiled and his smile radiated like the sun.

Instantly, Russia was struck by the arrow of love.

“Will you marry me?” he blurted out without thinking. _Please, be my friend, I’m so lonely!_

To his surprise, the older nation-tan actually seemed to consider his question. “Hmm…” said China, and then he chuckled softly, and his voice was like the soft tinkling of bells, “Perhaps when you’re a little bigger, aru.”

He got up, petted Russia softly across the head, and left the child to himself. And Russia vowed on that day, that he would become the biggest country in the world, so that China would become one with him.

***

Somewhere along the line, China remembered, the big bully of the north became something else. The image of the strong nation-tan began to show cracks.

Just as China was dealing with civil unrest, which culminated into him ditching the Empire in 1911 and becoming the Republic of China, so too was there unrest within his northern neighbor’s house. In 1917, Russian Civil War began, forcing an end to the Russian Empire.

In those tumultuous days, World War Two happened. China was the first to be drawn into the war.

Suddenly, China was on the same side as its former enemies. It was a most peculiar experience, but it taught China that people and countries could change in the blink of an eye. China allied with Western powers, including Russia, and when that great war ended both China and Russia were left in ruins. Yet, unrest did not end.

A hand, large and strong, reached out to him.

“Join my cause and become one with me, _da_? We will be strong.”

Although China could no longer trust, he had nothing left to lose.

 _Whatever…_ thought China, _it doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice._

 He blindly grasped at the hand and pulled himself up.

***

Aided by Russians, the Chinese communists took over the mainland and established the People’s Republic of China. China’s baby girl had just come back home, but Taiwan and China had both changed too much. She left with the remnants of the Republic, retreating to the home where she was once conceived.

After China had joined the communist side, the world plunged into a Cold War.

The Western powers such as America and England thought him to be a lost cause now, fallen to the predatory Russians.

But they’d been wrong. China was no prey.

***

When Russia made China join on his side of the Cold War he was elated.

“China, let’s become one now?” he said, and he amorously swung an arm around his comrade’s slender shoulders.

He leaned in for a kiss… only to be met by a cold hand pushed into his face.

“I’m not interested in being your bottom-bitch,” China said crudely. “And if you want to fuck with me, I’m gonna be the one topping you. I’m not your colony.”

He pushed Russia off of his shoulder and walked away, leaving Russia shocked. When had the angel of his childhood become this foul-mouthed soldier?

Russia stared after the retreating back of China. And despite those crude words… despite trading his pretty silks for a shapeless military outfit, the elder nation was still as beautiful as when Russia first met him.

It did not matter that China had changed.

It did not matter that China, apparently, no longer remembered those words he had spoken so long ago to a little child. Words that, Russia now realized, the elder had spoken in jest.

Russia still wanted to be one with China. He _would_ make China become one with him, whether it’d be through flowers and romance or military force.

Russia’s resolve was made.

***

Though China was one of the nations that understood Russia’s sentiments the best, this did not mean that China agreed with Russia or would capitulate to Russia’s leadership.

“I’m not interested in being your bottom-bitch,” China would repeat in every conversation. “I’m not your colony.”

He refused to be one with Russia under the banner of the USSR, which he claimed to be Soviet imperialism.

Slowly, China began to develop Maoist principles under his leader, causing an ideological rift to emerge between them. In 1961 the Sino-Soviet split happened. The build up tensions culminated into a seven months long Sino-Soviet border conflict in 1969, leaving the communist world reeling in its wake.

“I still remember how you stole my land in the 1800s!” China yelled over the fence they had build between their gardens and had on both sides outfitted with military apparatus.

Afterwards, to slight Russia’s feelings, China went to play ping-pong with Russia’s archenemy.

***

The relationship between China and Russia continued to be strained until the USSR collapsed, making way for the Russian Federation in 1991.

After those events, when China finally saw its northern neighbor again, he found that Russia had suffered and it reminded him eerily of his own social and economic woes during the Mao Zedong era, before Deng Xiaoping slowly opened China up to the world.

Their relationship improved and the two signed the ‘Agreement on the Sino-Russian Border Management System intended to facilitate border trade and hinder criminal activity’ in May 29,1994.

On a warm autumn day in November 1997, when Russia came over for a cup of tea, China suddenly said: “Hey, wouldn’t it be nice if we had no fence to separate our gardens, aru?”

“ _Da!_ ” his companion answered.

They demarcated the eastern section of their border, which stretched over 4000 kilometers long and planted sunflowers between them instead.

***

“Hee―ey, Russia,” slurred China on a nice autumn day in 2013 as they were sitting between their sunflowers, sharing tea and vodka. “I have this crazy dream, aru―uu!”

“A dream?” asked Russia, tilting his head with curiosity. He looked at the elder nation-tan’s alcohol reddened cheeks, and decided that, set off against China’s porcelain skin, they looked very appealing.

“Yes, ar―ruuu!” China exclaimed, “I was thinking…! What if I build a road that connected the entire world?”

_Was China drunk?_

Russia knew well that China was a very lightweight drinker.

“Why would you do that, China?”

“Because!” said China, flailing his arms, “Then all the countries will be like one, aru―uu! One world connected by One Belt and One Road! I could trade with everyone and sell them all the stuff I make, ar―ruuu!”

He hiccupped once, before promptly passing out.

Staring at the other nation, lying unguarded between the sunflowers that they had planted, Russia felt his heart beat faster. He reached out and brushed a lock of hair from China’s pretty face.

They may not always agree with each other, but China had always been the one who understood him best.

_Da! I'll support your One Belt and One Road to make one world. Then, everyone will become one with Russia!_

He leaned over and kissed China on his drunken lips.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Read also [Children of China](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8410690/chapters/19272406) and its sequel [Siblings of China](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8411392/chapters/19274431), which take place in the same universe.
> 
> Alternately, consider visiting [my website](https://sonnygoten.wordpress.com/about/).


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